Machine for cutting



(No Model.) V 8'SheetsS heet l. 4 v A. L. ADAMS & G. E. HAWES.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, FOLDING, AND WINDING STRIPS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL.

:Paten'ted Apr. 20, 1897.

lNVENTORS dbmhaml. (Zdams WW G' E,Euv63 BY ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

-(No Model.)

, 8 Sheets-Sheet 2. AL. ADAMS & G. E. HA-WES. MACHINE FOR CUTTING,FOLDING, AND WINDING STRIPS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL. Patented Apr. 20,1897.

INVENTOR azmmzll. Qdams ATTO R N EY BY and aeolyel lflawes WITNESSES:

s Sheets-Sheet a. I A. ADAMS & G. E, HAWE S. MAGHINE FOR CUTTING,FOLDING, AND WINDING STRIPS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL. atentedA 20', 1897INVENTORS (unfit/mull. W

' Model.)

WITNESSES:

(No Model.) 8 SheetsSheet 4 A. L. ADAMS'8'G G. E. HAWES. MACHINE FORCUTTING, FOLDING, AND WINDING STRIPS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL.

No; 581,015. Patented Apr. 20, 1897.

INVENTORS and George. EHwweS BY ATTORNEY 8 Sheets-Sheet 5. A. L. ADAMS &G. E. HAWES.

MATERIAL.

Patented Apr. 20, 1897..

INVENTOBS amz uunz. adzuns and (r eoryez'fluves AT ORIIIEY (No Model.)

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, FOLDING, AND WINDING STRIPS 0P FLEXIBLE Q ISWITNESSES 8 sheets sheet 6. ADAMS & G. E. HAWES. ING, FOLDING, ANDWINDING'STRIPS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL.

(No Model.)

- A. MAOHINE FOR OUTT Patented Apr. 20, 1897.

Q. 4\ AS 1. QM NS WITNESSES:

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 7.

A. L. ADAMS 8v G. E. HAWES. MACHINE FOB. CUTTING, FOLDING, AND WINDINGSTRIPS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL.

Patented Apr. 20, 1897.

mvEmons L brafiam Z1. detains WITNESSES:

and G wy'e Elihu 63 ATTORNEY (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet A. L. ADAMS & G;E. HAWES. MAGHINE FOR CUTTING, FOLDING, AND WINDING STRIPS 0P FLEXIBLEMATERIAL.

1 atented Apr. 20, 1897..

INVENTURS Clilraimm Z. adanw amt Geo;y vE Ha'w-es BY ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

NITED TATES ABRAHAM L.

ATENT Fries.

ADAMS AND GEORGE E. HATVES, OF BRIDGEPORT,

CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING, FOLDING, AND WINDING STRIPS 0F FLEXIBLE MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 581,015, dated April 20,1897.

Application filed July 6,1896. Serial No. 598,227. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concerni Be it known that we, ABRAHAM L. ADAMS andGEORGE E. HAwEs, citizens of the United States, residing at Bridgeport,in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for AutomaticallyCut-tin g, Folding, and \Vinding Strips of Flexible Material; and We dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to certain improvements in machines forautomatically cut-tin g, folding, and winding strips of flexiblematerial so that such strips may be available for use in the form ofspools; and our invention vconsists in the details of construction andin the operation of various instrumentalities such as will behereinafter fully set forth, and then specifically designated by theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application,Figure 1 isa plan view of our newly-invented machine; Fig. 2, a sideelevation; Fig. 3, a section at the line a a of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, asection at the line b b of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a section at the line 0 c ofFig. 3; Fig. 6, a section at the line (I d of Fig. 1; Fig. 7, a detailsectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, showing the operation of therollers which effect the creasing, folding, and ironing functions; Fig.8, a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modificationof our invention in which the ironingroller is dispensed with; and Fig.9, a sectheless we do not wish to he confined to such association, sinceour invention is broad enough to include each one of such mechanismsseparately and distinctly. In other words, each mechanism, by theelimination of the other two mechanisms, is enabled to perform itsindividual function and constitutes a machine in itself producing auseful result. These three mechanisms to which we have referred are,first, the cutting orslitting machine, by means of which the strips arecut from a solid width of material; second, the folding mechanism,whereby the lateral edges of the strips are folded over upon the body ofthe strip; third, the winding mechanism, by means of which the finishedstrips are wound upon spools.

For a better understanding of our invention we will describe theseseveral mechanisms consecutively, but we will first call attention tothe general form of the machine and its adaptation to such mechanisms.

1 is the frame of the machine, \vhichis supported in any usual manner,as by legs 2, and 3 is the bed or table.

4 is the power-shaft, power-pulley 5.

The cutting mechanism comprises two rolls 6 7, journaled within theframe of the machine one above the other, each roll carrying a series ofcutter-disks 8 9, which respectively engage each other after the mannerof a pair of shears. These disks are separated by a space equal to thefull Width desired of the strips, and rigid with said rolls 6 7 areintermeshing spur-gears 1O 11, one of which gears also meshes with agear 12, carried by the power-shaft 4, so that it will be clear that theproper revolution of the cutter-rolls will be effected directly from thepower-shaft.

A piece of fabric or othersuitable material of the desired width beingplaced upon the table 3 and led between the rolls 6 7, it will bemanifest that as this fabric passes between the rolls it will be cut orslitted into a gang of strips, which latter are then engaged by themechanisms for creasing, folding, and ironingsuch strips, whichmechanisms we will now describe.

13 14 are rolls journaled within the frame which carries the of themachine and carrying intermeshing spur-gears 15 16, one of which latteris also engaged by the gear 12 on the power-shaft. The roll 13 has inits periphery a series of annular grooves 17, whose width is equal tothe width of the folded strip, and the roll 1t earries a series ofperipheral collars 18, which fit snugly within said grooves.

19 is the ironing-roller, which is journalcd within a frame 20, whichlatter at its lower end is pivoted around the shaft of the roller 14,while its outer extrcmitycarries a resilient plug 21, which rests uponan adjusting-screw 22, driven through an car 23, rising from the frameof the machine. This ironii'ig-roller is beyond the rolls 13 11- and iselevated so that its upper circumference is considerably above the lowercircumference of the roll 13, and such ironing-roller carries a gear 25,which meshes with the gear 15" and also carries a series of peripheralcollars 2t of such width as to fit snugly within the grooves of theroller 13.

As the strips already cut, in the manner hereinbeforc set forth, passbetween the rollers 13 11- the collars on the roller 11- will force thestrips within the grooves of the roller 13, thereby causing the edges tobe creased, so as to lie flat against the side walls of the grooves, andthe tension on the creased strips as the latter are deflected upwardaround the bottoms of the grooves will draw the creased edges down flatagainst the bodies of the strips, and the roller 10 will then actagainst these folded edges to firmly iron them into place. The pressureof the ironing-roller may be regulated by the adjusting-screw 32.

It will be observed that there is a space between the points of contactwhich the rollers l-t 19 have with the roller 13, and the object of thisof course is to enable the creased edges of the strip to be drawn downflat against the body of the strip by the upward deflection of thelatter around the roller 13, so that said edges may be properly disposedbefore they are brought in contact with the ironing-roll, and right herein this connection we would say that this manner of drawing down theedges of the strips preparatory to ironing is a very important featureof ourinvention, since we are enabled thereby to dispense with anyspecial appliance for performing the folding operation.

The folded and finished strips are passed over the top of theironing-roller to the winding mechanism, a description of which latterwe will now give.

26 is a guide-roller journaled in the frame of the machine, and havingin its periphery a series of grooves 27just wide enough to contain thefolded strips.

28 is a spindle journaled within the upper end of a frame 99, the lowerend of which latter is pivoted around the power-shaft i On this spindleare keyed a series of spools 30, corresponding in number to the numberof strips, and each spool is slotted in its periphery, as seen at 31,within which slotted portions the extremities of the strips are forcedfor the purpose of secu ring the latter during the winding operation.

The folded strips are passed within the grooves 27 and are secured tothe spools, and as the strips are wound on said spools the coiled-upportions of said strips will extend within said grooves and will besupported by the bottoms of the latter. As the strip-rolls increase indiameter during the winding operation the contact between thestrip-rolls and the guide-roller will be constant, owing to the factthat the frame 2!) will be gradually elevated by reason of thegradually-increasing distance between the spindle 28 and theguide-roller. he side walls of the grooves 37 cause the strips to bewound in vertical planes, while the contact between the stripeoils andthe guide-roller causes the winding to be effected tightly. Upon theextreme outer end of the frame 99 a weight 32 is placed to increase thefrictional contact be tween the guide-roller and the strip-coils, andthis weight may be varied as the oceasion demands or it may be dispensedwith altogether, if desired.

The spindle 28 ismade in two sections, one of which terminates in asocket 3 3, while the other section is bifurcated, as shown at 3st, andfixed within said socket, a pin 35 being driven laterally through saidsocket and within said fork, whereby the two sections of the spindle aresecured together as to rotary motion, while at the same time the sectionwhich carries the spools may be readily withdrawn by grasping the handle36 for the purpose of removing the spools.

Of course it will be clear that as the diameters of the strip-rollsincrease the revolution of such rolls would tend to draw a longer lengthof strip, and we therefore belt up the spindle to the power-pulley,making use of frictional devices of very ordinary construction, so thatthe full benefit of the drivingbelt cannot be exerted to revolve thespindle. lVithout going into any details of explanation of such veryordinary mechanical expedient we will merely say that the socketsectionof the spindle carries a shoulder-collar 37, while around such sectionis a loose disk 3.38. which abuts against said collar. A collar 39 issplined on said section, so as to be capable of a movement lengthwisethereof, and interposed between this collar and disk 38 is a leatherwasher 10, a nut 4-1. being driven on the extreme end of said sectionand a coil-spring 12 being interposed between said nut and collar 39, sothat when the nut is driven inward the disk 08 will be bound between theshoulder 37 and collar 3.), the friction between such parts beingsufficient to cause the spindle to be revolved when power is applied tothe disk 38. A belt is run from the power-pulley around said disk, andwhen the tendency of the winding-spools is to take up a greater lengthof strip than is out and folded the disk 38 will simply slip around thecollar 37 without efiecting a correspond ing revolution of the spindle.

The surfaces of the various portions of the several rollers which comein contact with the strips may be serrated or roughened, if desired, inorder to obtain a better grip on the strips, and in the instance ofcertain materials of which the strips are composed this may be deemednecessary; but we do not desire to be limited in this respect, as thisis a Y precautionary measure rather than a necessary adjunct of ourinvention.

There is a great difference between fabrics and other materials of whichthe strips are composed, and some of these will become cockled ordistorted more readily than others,

and we have therefore provided certain devices which we will nowdescribe and which greatly assist in properly delivering and guiding thecloth during the various operations hereinbefore set forth.

Resting immediately upon the table in front of the cu ttin g-rollersiswhat we term a guideplate 43, upon whose upper surface are two series ofribs 44: 45, one of such series being on one side of a vertical planewhich intersects the cutting-rollers crosswise at their middle portionsand the other series of such ribs being on the opposite side of suchplane. These two series of ribs are each inclined from their outerextremities inwardly toward said plane and at the same angle thereto,and the cloth as it is delivered to the cutting-rollers restsimmediately upon said guide plate. Should it be discovered that thecloth was being fed out of true or in a direction a little to one side,the operator simply places his hand upon the cloth and presses itlightly against the ribs of the guide-plate, which incline in thedirection opposite to that in which the cloth is bein gimproperlyshifted, and this will immediately correct the error, and by practice anoperator may readily correct any inaccuracy in the feeding of the cloth.

Rising from the table immediately in the rear of the creasing-rollersand at the extreme opposite sides of such table are twin spindles 46,and between these spindles is a vertical plate 47, of metal, which restsby its gravity like a straight-edge immediately upon such table. Thestrips pass from the cutters im mediately beneath this plate, and anycockling or twisting of such strips is smoothed out by the plate priorto the delivery of the strips to the creasing, folding, and ironingrollers.

We are enabled to obtain the best results by making the effectivediameters of all the positively-moving rollers the same and by sogearing them that their speeds will likewise be the same, for by sodoing there can be no dragging of the strips or of the cloth through anyof the rollers and the cloth or other material cannot possibly becomedistorted.

It will be manifest that some of the mechanisms of our improved machinemay be changed and others may be entirely omitted without departing fromthe spirit of our invention, to some of which changes and omissions wewill now call attention.

The guide-roller is not at all necessary to the manufacture of thestrips, and, moreover, while a most excellent contrivance, need not beused at all times, especially in instances where the spools themselveshave flanged sides. The ironing-roller, while it is really necessary inthe instance of most fabrics, can

be entirely dispensed with at times, especially when the strips canremain in coiled form before using a sufficient length of time to enablethe folded portions to set.

In Fig. 8 we have shown a modification of our improvement in which theironing and guide rollers are entirely dispensed with and the strip ledfarther around the upper creasing-roll and upwardly to thewinding-spool, which latter in this instanceis supported almostimmediately above such roll in order to allow the strip to have thisadditional lap around the latter.

. Some strips are used without folded edges, and heretofore these stripshave been cut and wound upon spools in a very crude and imperfectmanner, but our invention naturally suggests a very practical andeffective way of cutting and winding such strips, it being necessarymerely to omit the rollers which effect the creasing, folding, andironing of the edges. lVe have therefore shown in Fig. 9 a modificationof ourimproved machine in which the guide-roller is indispensable inconnection with the winding-spool. Referring to this Fig. 9, we wouldsay that the construction, assembly, and operation of all the partsshown are precisely the same as hereinbefore set forth, with theexception that the guide-roller carries a pulley 48 and the power- IOCshaft a pulley 419, which pulleys are connected by belt 50, so that itwill be clear that a positive revolution is imparted to the guide-rollerdirectly from the power-shaft.

As hereinbefore set forth, the winding-roll has a tendency to drag thestrips through the cutting-rollers, and this tendency is of courseresisted in our construction above described by the creasing and ironingrollers, which maintain quite a bite upon the strips. In the presentinstance the tendency of the winding-spools to revolve too fast ischecked by the uniformly-speeded guide -roller, which latter, by theway, moves at precisely the same rate of speed as do the cutter-rollers.

be stationary and the strips may be pulled therethrough by the windingdevices, and we therefore do not wish to be limited in this respect.

Having thus described ourinvention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofrollers having complementary collars and grooves for creasing thestrips, and means for deflecting the creased strips at a tension towardthe axial horizontal plane of the grooved roller whereby the creasededges are folded, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofrollers having complementary collars and grooves for creasing thestrips, means for deflecting the creased strips at a tension toward theaxial horizontal plane of the grooved roller whereby the edges of thestrips are folded, and means for ironing down said folded edges,substantially as set forth.

3. In amachine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofrollers having complementary collars and grooves for creasin g thestrips, means for deflecting the creased strips at atension toward theaxial horizontal plane of the grooved roller whereby the edges of thestrips are folded, a roller for ironing down said folded edges, a seriesof windingspools upon which said strips are wound in coils, and aguide-roller provided with peripheral grooves, said coils extendingwithin said grooves and resting by gravity against the bottoms thereof,substantially as set forth.

i. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofrollers journaled one above the other and carrying com plementarycutter-disks, a pair of rollers journaled one above the other andcarrying complementary collars and grooves for creasing the strips, anironing-roller whose upper surface is considerably elevated above thelower surface of the upper creasing-roller and is in close proximity tothe effective periphery of such creasing roller, whereby the creasedstrip is deflected against the rounded surface of such upper roller andsubsequently ironed down, and means for winding the folded strips,substantially as set forth.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofrollers having complementary collars and grooves for creasing thestrips, and an ironing-roller whose upper surface is considerably abovethe bottom of the upper creasing-roller while the effeetive peripheriesof said ironing-roller and upper creasing-roller are in close proximityto each other, substantially as set forth.

(3. The combination of the winding-spools j ournaled within aframecapable of a free vertical movement upon which spools the strips arewound in coils, and the guide-roller hav ing a series of peripheralgrooves, said coils extending snugly within. said grooves and resting bygravity against the bottoms thereof, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the cutter-rollers having a uniform and positiverotation, the winding-spools journaled in a frame capable of a freevertical movement upon which spools the strips are wound in coils, theguide-roller having a series of peripheral grooves within which saidcoils depend and rest by gravity against the bottoms of such grooves,the power-shaft, a friction-coupling between said shaft and the shaft ofthe spools, and means for imparting to the guide-roller a constant anduniform speed corresponding to that of the cutter-rollers, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

ABRAHAM L. ADAMS. GEO. E. IIAIVES.

\Vitnesses:

F. IV. SMITH, .Ir., M. 'l. LONGDEN.

